Why MT4 Strategy Tester Shows Zero Trades (and how to fix it)
<img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="1200" height="630" src="https://www.tradingheroes.com/wp-content/uploads/zero-trades-mt4.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" alt="Zero trades in MT4" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;" srcset="https://www.tradingheroes.com/wp-content/uploads/zero-trades-mt4.jpg 1200w, https://www.tradingheroes.com/wp-content/uploads/zero-trades-mt4-768×403.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" />
<p>It can be frustrating to run a backtest in <strong>MetaTrader 4 Strategy Tester</strong> and have it stop immediately with no trades. </p>
<p>This has happened to me many times and I had to figure out what was going wrong. So in this tutorial, I'll show you why this happens and what you can do to troubleshoot each cause. </p>
<figure><img decoding="async" width="1200" height="630" src="https://www.tradingheroes.com/wp-content/uploads/zero-trades-mt4.jpg" alt="Zero trades in MT4" class="wp-image-1023848" srcset="https://www.tradingheroes.com/wp-content/uploads/zero-trades-mt4.jpg 1200w, https://www.tradingheroes.com/wp-content/uploads/zero-trades-mt4-768×403.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></figure>
<p><strong>MetaTrader 4 Strategy Tester will not show any trades for one of the following reasons: </strong></p>
<ol>
<li><strong>The settings are incorrect</strong></li>
<li>I<strong>t's not a good market to use that EA with</strong></li>
<li>T<strong>here were no valid setups</strong></li>
<li>T<strong>he coding logic is faulty</strong></li>
<li>T<strong>he strategy doesn't work on the timeframe you're backtesting on</strong></li>
<li><strong>The EA isn't fully automated or doesn't execute trades </strong></li>
<li><strong>The EA is made for MT5</strong></li>
</ol>
<p>Now I'll get into the details of each scenario and what you can possibly do to fix each problem. </p>
<p>If that doesn't work, then I'll give you one final thing that you can do that is guaranteed to give you an answer to your issue. </p>
<h2>How to Properly Setup an Automated Backtest in MT4</h2>
<p>First, be sure that you're following the correct procedure for setting up a backtest in MT4 Strategy Tester. </p>
<p>The EA has to be in your MT4 <strong>experts</strong> folder so the platform can use it in a backtest. Once the file is in there, restart MT4 so <strong>Strategy Tester</strong> has access to it. </p>
<p>If you want to get a complete tutorial on how to run your first backtest in the MT4 Strategy Tester, <a href="https://www.tradingheroes.com/how-to-backtest-on-mt4/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">read this tutorial</a>. </p>
<p>This tutorial is about how to troubleshoot issues. So after you know how to set things up, come back here if you're running into any roadblocks. </p>
<p>Alright, let's get into it…</p>
<h2>The Settings are Wrong </h2>
<p>The most common reason why a backtest doesn't work is because the settings in the EA are not set correctly. </p>
<p>Many times, this is an oversight of the developer. If a developer doesn't put in the best EA settings as the default, then this can lead to a lot of confusion. </p>
<p>So double check with the developer what the best settings for the EA are. </p>
<p>They will usually be available on the website where you downloaded the EA.</p>
<p>Then click the <strong>Expert Properties</strong> button in the <strong>Strategy Tester</strong> to change the settings of the EAs. </p>
<div>
<figure><img decoding="async" width="332" height="158" src="https://www.tradingheroes.com/wp-content/uploads/ea-properties.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1023851" /></figure></div>
<h2>Backtesting in the Wrong Market </h2>
<p><strong>Not all trading strategies will work in all markets. </strong></p>
<p><em>In fact, there's a good chance that a strategy won't work in multiple markets. </em></p>
<p>Some strategies only work in stocks. Others will only work on crypto. </p>
<p>So you have to understand which market the strategy was designed for and <strong>only use it in that market. </strong></p>
<p>For example, <a href="https://store.tradingheroes.com/product/thesnap-report/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">this trading strategy</a> only works with one Forex pair. If you use it with other pairs, you'll lose money. </p>
<p>Many people who are new to trading are under the impression that a trading strategy should work well in all markets. </p>
<p><em>Trading doesn't work like that. </em></p>
<p>Thinking that a strategy will work in all markets is like saying that since a V8 engine works well in a Ford F150 truck, it should work well on a Ducati Superleggera motorcycle too. </p>
<p>Now, you <em>can</em> (and probably should) test the strategy in multiple markets.</p>
<p>You never know, it might work. </p>
<p>But don't be surprised if it doesn't. </p>
<h2>No Valid Trade Setups</h2>
<p><strong>Everything could be setup properly in the EA, but maybe there are just no trades. </strong></p>
<p><em>This doesn't happen often, but it can. </em></p>
<p>It's more likely that the logic or settings of the EA are not correct. </p>
<p>But if you don't get any trades, try running a backtest on another Forex pair, or on another timeframe. </p>
<p>If you get trades on another pair or timeframe, then it could be that there were simply no trades. </p>
<p>Also check to see if you have <a href="https://www.tradingheroes.com/download-mt4-historical-data/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">downloaded all of the available historical data</a> for that market. </p>
<p>You might only have a few months of data and that's why your test is ending so quickly. </p>
<h2>The Logic of the EA is Broken</h2>
<div>
<figure><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1629" height="915" src="https://www.tradingheroes.com/wp-content/uploads/GBPUSDH1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1023856" srcset="https://www.tradingheroes.com/wp-content/uploads/GBPUSDH1.png 1629w, https://www.tradingheroes.com/wp-content/uploads/GBPUSDH1-768×431.png 768w, https://www.tradingheroes.com/wp-content/uploads/GBPUSDH1-1536×863.png 1536w, https://www.tradingheroes.com/wp-content/uploads/GBPUSDH1-1280×720.png 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1629px) 100vw, 1629px" /></figure></div>
<p>In some cases, the coding of the EA simply doesn't work. </p>
<p>The developer may have missed an important piece of code or they didn't test the EA properly. </p>
<p>This happens a lot with EAs in the <a href="https://www.mql5.com/en/code/mt4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MT4 Code Base</a>. Many of them are half-baked. </p>
<p>So if you aren't getting any trades when you run a Strategy Tester backtest, then see if you can find out how the EA works and why it might not be executing trades. </p>
<p><strong>Many times <em>automated backtesting</em> makes it hard to see what is going wrong. That's why in most cases, I highly recommend starting with manual or partially automated backtesting first. </strong></p>
<p><em>Then when you find something that works, you can turn that into a fully automated system. </em></p>
<p>If you want to get into manual or partially automated backtesting, I recommend using <a href="https://www.tradingheroes.com/naked-markets-software-review/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NakedMarkets</a>. </p>
<h2>Backtesting on the Wrong Timeframe </h2>
<div>
<figure><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="400" height="600" src="https://www.tradingheroes.com/wp-content/uploads/clock-side.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1023853" /></figure></div>
<p><strong>Some trading strategies won't work on higher or lower timeframes because of how they are built. </strong></p>
<p>For example, let's say that you created a trading strategy that only enters trades on the open of the London Session. </p>
<p>If you try to use that strategy on the daily chart, it probably won't execute trades because the daily candles don't close at the right time of day. </p>
<p>On the other end of the spectrum, if you use a daily chart trading strategy on the 1-hour chart, it may trade too frequently and the spread will probably take a large chunk out of your profits. </p>
<p>So make sure that you know how your EA works and if it's meant to be used on a specific chart timeframe. </p>
<h2>The EA Isn't Fully Automated or Doesn't Execute Trades</h2>
<p>There are some EAs that only handle entries or only handle exits. </p>
<p>The don't do both. </p>
<p>Other EAs only provide information, they don't execute any trades. </p>
<p>I've also seen EAs that require input from the user during the backtesting process. </p>
<p>I actually prefer EAs that aren't fully automated. In my opinion, it's best if an EA handles the entry or exit, but not both. </p>
<p>You can find our <a href="https://store.tradingheroes.com/product-category/metatrader-4-expert-advisor/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MT4 trade management and informational EAs here</a>. </p>
<p>So be sure that the EA you want to backtest is actually built to execute trades. </p>
<p>Some are not. </p>
<h2>The EA is Made for MT5</h2>
<p>Finally, if you're trying to use a MT5 EA in MT4, it won't work. </p>
<p><strong>MT5 uses a totally different programming language. </strong></p>
<p>I know how it is though. It's easy to download a bunch of EAs from the internet and forget which platform they are for. </p>
<p><strong>In order to figure out which EAs work with MT4, look at the file type. MT4 files will end with .mq4 or .ex4. </strong></p>
<p>If your file has .mq5 or .ex5 at the end, it's for MT5 and won't work in MT4. </p>
<h2>The Best Solution for No Trades in MT4 Strategy Tester </h2>
<p>If none of the solutions above work for you, then <strong>the best thing to do in ALL situations is to contact the developer of the Expert Adviser (EA). </strong></p>
<p>They will usually know why you are not getting trades and can help you understand their EA better. </p>
<p>I gave you a few ideas on why a strategy may not be working, but the reality is that I don't know how every single EA works. </p>
<p><em>The only person who knows that is the developer. </em></p>
<p><strong>So again, if you're still having problems after trying all of the above, then <em>contact the creator</em> of the EA. </strong></p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>So those are some reasons why your <strong>MetaTrader 4 Strategy Tester</strong> backtest may not be showing any trades.</p>
<p>It can be very frustrating to run a test and have it stop immediately. </p>
<p>But now that you know why this happens and what to do, you'll never get stuck again. </p>
<p>Get <a href="https://www.tradingheroes.com/tag/metatrader-4-tutorial/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">more MT4 tutorials here</a>. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.tradingheroes.com/mt4-strategy-tester-fix-zero-trades/">Why MT4 Strategy Tester Shows Zero Trades (and how to fix it)</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.tradingheroes.com">Trading Heroes</a>.</p>
Leave a Comment